Andres Gonzalez will speak on “Mindfulness Interventions to Reduce Stress and Foster Resilience in Children Across Diverse Communities” on Friday, May 4, 1-2:30 p.m., in 335 Falk (White Hall). Gonzalez is founder and marketing director for the Holistic Life Foundation Inc. The event, which is free and open to the public, is presented by Falk College and its Department of Human Development and Family Science, the Humanities Center, Hendricks Chapel, the Contemplative Collaborative and the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies.
Meditation has been shown to foster resilience in children.
Mindfulness and contemplative practices are experiential modes of learning and self-inquiry, and include various forms of meditation, focused thought, writing, creative/performing arts and yoga. Such practices can foster greater empathy and communication skills, improve focus and attention, reduce stress and enhance creativity and general well-being. Given these advantages, these skills are of growing interest to researchers and practitioners from diverse fields, including those working with children and youth as these practices contribute to an individual’s growth across multiple developmental domains.
Gonzalez will describe the effectiveness of school-based mindfulness interventions with inner-city populations, highlighting the cultivation of spaces for wellness and healing with urban youth served by the Baltimore City Public Schools. He has taught yoga to diverse populations throughout the world at public and private schools and colleges, drug treatment centers, mental crisis facilities, homeless shelters, wellness centers and other global venues. He has partnered with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health and Penn State’s Prevention Research Center on a stress and relaxation study and is a published author in the Journal of Children’s Services.
“Given the broad interest at Syracuse in contemplative practice, this speaker will help attendees enrich their understanding of its application and to see how its benefits extend to diverse populations,” says Professor Matthew Mulvaney from Falk College’s Department of Human Development and Family Science and one of the event’s organizers. “Students and others will be interested in this work as it represents effective intervention practices in at-risk communities.”
According to Mulvaney, Contemplative Collaborative researchers conducting school-based research in Syracuse will integrate site visits with Gonzalez to local schools, providing further linkages between Syracuse University and the Syracuse City School District. Syracuse University’s Contemplative Collaborative bridges student life and academic life through a community of faculty, staff, administrators and students with shared interests in mindfulness and contemplative practices that embody engaged learning, a mindful academy, and compassionate society. This community is comprised of more than 140 members representing diverse disciplines and offices across the University.
For information about the event, including accessibility and accommodations requests, please contact Kathy Rainone, kbrainon@syr.edu, 315.443.2757.
